Bert Christman

Christman was hired by the Associated Press to do general artwork for their feature service, AP Newsfeatures in 1936. He did syndication work on Scorchy Smith daily (AP Newsfeatures [Associated Press], 1930 series) 1936-11-23 - 1938, writer, pencils, and inks. Christman joined the United States Navy as an aviation cadet in June 1938. Eventually he was assigned to the Aircraft carrier U.S.S. Ranger (CV-4). Bert then joined Claire Chennault's American Volunteer Group (known as the "Flying Tigers") and was assigned to the "Hell's Angels" Third Squadron in 1941, operating in the British Territory of Burma. Christman was killed in action near Rangoon after a dog fight with Japanese air forces. Bert was strafed by a Japanese airplane after he parachuted out of his damaged P-40 aircraft. Fort Collins Airport in Fort Collins, Colorado, was renamed Christman Air Field in his honor in the 1950s.